


Yours Before Eight AM.

by newpolicy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, AU where they survive, F/M, and have so many children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 07:27:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18464275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/newpolicy/pseuds/newpolicy
Summary: "In other households it might have been seen as cause to panic, but in the Potter household, it was not uncommon to be awoken by the sound of a scream."





	Yours Before Eight AM.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on my tumblr in 2014, and I forgot how much I adore it, so here it is - with a few modifications - please enjoy!

In other households it might have been seen as cause to panic, but in the Potter household, it was not uncommon to be awoken by the sound of a scream.

Lily Potter rolled from her side onto her stomach, her displeasure at being forcibly dragged back to the land of the living expressed through a low groan. “James,” she mumbled into her pillow, blearily opening one eye to peer at her husband. When that garnered no response, she poked him sharply in the ribs "James-"

She watched with a small smile as a frown appeared between his eyebrows, his eyes slowly blinking open to meet hers “What, Lil?”

“Your children are at it again,” Lily replied, casting a glance at the closed bedroom door, through which they could hear the sounds of loud arguing.

“Mmm, and pray tell why are they now _my_ children, and not ours?” he asked, moving lazily towards her so as to tuck his head into the crook of her neck, his perpetually-unruly black hair tickling underneath her jaw.

“I thought we'd agreed that they’re always your children before eight in the morning,” she reminded him, her lips curling at the corners.

"I remember no such agreement."

Lucky for you then that I have such a good memory -"

She couldn't help but laugh when she felt his hands grip her waist, pulling her body down so that their faces were level. They simply stared at each other for a minute, before Lily wrinkled her nose. The responding grin he shot her was one so familiar to her now, it seemed almost silly that it still made her stomach swoop as if she were still seventeen.

But while time had certainly passed since the day that Lily Evans had finally (he _loved_ to stress that finally part) agreed to go on a date with James Potter, not very much had changed at all. She still threatened to throttle him on a weekly basis, but that was mostly for continuity.

Mostly.

“I’m sure they’ll sort it out between themselves," he hummed, leaning in to place a chaste kiss on her lips. “And if not, we’ve got six I might remind you. I’m sure we wouldn’t miss one from the mix.”

She laughed a little in response, her hands weaving through his tousled hair “I suppose,” she agreed sagely, her leg slowly hooking over his hip, while his fingers simultaneously began drawling nonsensical patterns on her upper thigh "Very clever of us really, giving ourselves so much margin for error."

This little action alone, Lily acknowledged, was explanation enough as to how they had ended up with such a number of children in the first place.

Harry, they had agreed, was both an unexpected and wonderful surprise. At twenty years of age, they were in no hurry to add to the number, contented with their little family of three. The arrival of Violet, three years later, wasn’t quite so unexpected, but the appearance of her Irish twin Iris so soon afterwards, most certainly was.

Thick as thieves, at twelve and eleven, their sole purpose in life was making that of their fifteen year old brothers as miserable as possible.

David was nine, going on forty, and was the only of their children to inherit Lily’s auburn hair, or any semblance of common sense. Daisy, who had just turned six, they mutually agreed had the negotiation power of a world-leader (given that seemingly _no one_ could manage to say no to her), and the baby of the family, three year old Evan, whose appearance James accredited to the over-excitement of hearing that their eldest son had made the Quidditch team in his first year. 

Quidditch was still, very much, one of the great loves of James Potter's life, after all. 

Another shriek of indignation floated through from the other side of the house, followed almost immediately by the sound of loud protests, and if Lily wasn’t mistaken, the vague sound of fists pounding on a door.

“Good morning, Mrs. Potter,” James whispered against her lips “Very good morning, by the sounds of it.”

“Good morning, Mr. Potter,” she replied, wrapping her arms around his neck as the ghost of a mischievous smirk played around the corners of her lips "I have a devious proposition."

”You’ve piqued my interest-“

She snorted at his choice of words, her mumble of _prat_ earning her a pinch on the ribs.

”I’m waiting for this plan?” he reminded her.

“I was just going to suggest a little bout of deafness.” She shrugged.

”You mean hiding from our own children?” His hand lazily trailed down her body, coming to rest on her hip.

”I suppose you could put it that way,” she mused.

”You know that they can fight for hours, right?”

”Well, they did learn from the best.”

”But however will we pass the time?”

She hummed in response, one hand toying with the hem of his t-shirt with what, to someone else, might have appeared to be absentmindedness. However, James was much more versed in the ways of his wife. “I’m sure we’ll find _something_ to take up the time,” she assured him silkily.

“Game of checkers sounds wonderful-“

She laughed in response, before closing the distance between their mouths. Her eyes fluttered shut in an involuntary response to their bodies melding closer together. The rough pads of his fingertips began sliding up her thigh, the familiar feeling causing Lily’s lips to part in satisfaction.

And _just_ as she had been about to slip his t-shirt over his head, their bedroom burst open, causing them to jump apart guiltily.

“Mum! Dad! Harry’s locked himself in the – wait, what are you both doing?” David's tone changed from frantic to confused in a nanosecond, his hazel eyes surveying them both over his rectangular glasses.

“Absolutely nothing dear,” Lily assured him, clearing her throat smoothing down her hair simultaneously. James couldn’t help the snicker that fell from his lips, but quickly sobered himself in response to the glare Lily threw at him.

David surveyed them both sceptically, but continued on undeterred. Arguably the least-forceful personality of their children, he was used to being somewhat _steamrolled_ by his significantly-louder siblings, and was absolutely desperate to capitalise on the rare chance to be the informant.

“Harry’s locked himself in the bathroom, and he’s threatening to flush Violet’s make-up down the loo!”

“Why’s he gone and done that?” James asked, fumbling for his glasses on the bedside table.

The flair for _theatrics_ inherent in their children was not new information to either of them, but his somewhat novel methods of revenge continued to surprise them both.

“Because her and Iris found the letters Ginny sent him, and posted them to Ron,” His nose scrunched as he continued “They showed me one of them, it was pretty gross.”

“Hang on,” Lily said, her voice rising three octaves as they both scrambled madly to untangle themselves from the sheets “Ginny who?”

“Ginny Weasley, Mum” David replied, exasperatedly.

“What happened to Cho?” James asked, causing Lily to scoff.

”As if Davey _knows_ -“ Lily began, before an eager voice interrupted her.

“Iris told me she heard that Cho ‘got off’ with someone called Cedric at the end of Easter break!” David informed them “And that apparently Cedric’s her ex-”

“David,” Lily cautioned “You shouldn’t gossip about people-”

“Iris is the one who told me in the first place!” he exclaimed defensively, his arms flying wide.

”Well Iris shouldn’t be telling you stories like that-“

”You always told me that not listening was rude Mum –“

“What does ‘got off’ mean?” Daisy’s clear voice rang out, darting into the room and flinging herself on to their bed, brown eyes blinking expectantly at them both.

“Absolutely nothing, Daisy-chain,” James said quickly.

“But how come-” 

Her question was cut short by loud giggles, as James quickly lunged towards her to tickle her sides. A swift glance at Lily granted him her silent congratulations.

First hex of the day successfully dodged.

”Daddy _stop it_ -“ she shrieked, kicking his stomach with her feet. 

” _Dad_ -“ David demanded, waving his hand down the hall “Can we focus please?” 

”Sorry Davey-“ James grinned, before quickly mollifying his expression at the sight of his son’s glare.

“Come on then, let’s go see what all the fuss is about,” Lily sighed, resigning herself to the fact that their Sunday lie-in was most definitely ruined. She pushed herself off the bed and shoved her feet into her slippers, grabbing her robe from where it had been thrown at the end of the bed.

David led the procession out of the bedroom, eager for his parents to bring the bickering siblings to order. Lily stifled a yawn as she followed along behind, leaving Daisy and James to bring up the rear.

“Mummy, Mummy, Mummy,” a blur of blue pyjamas and jet-black hair barrelled into her legs, pudgy arms instantly wrapping themselves around her knees. “Vio and Iris and Harry keep shouting,” he informed her, eyes wide.

“Did they wake you?” Lily asked, to which Evan nodded mournfully. “Well don’t worry, Mummy and Daddy will get this all sorted out,” she promised, ruffling his hair affectionately. He smiled in response, his utter confidence in his mother’s ability to correct any wrong in his little world shining in his eyes as he took her hand and joined the motely march towards the source of the noise.

James’ groan at the sight which met them when they turned the corner out to the landing was only barely audible over the sound of furious fists pummelling the bathroom door, and the intermittent sound of the toilet flushing.

”Mother Earth, girls, what is going on!” Lily shouted.

Violet and Iris, both red-faced and pyjama-clad, the former in a pink nightgown and the latter in an old Quidditch jersey, stopped their assault on the bathroom door momentarily to glance at their parents before picking it back up double-time.

“Harry James Potter, you open up this bloody door right now, or else!” Violet warned, inky black hair swishing dangerously.

“Or else what?” came Harry’s muffled reply, followed swiftly by the sound of a flushing toilet. The brash confidence of a surly fifteen year old safely ensconced behind a locked door brought a smile to both Lily and James’ faces, which they quickly attempted to smother once their indignant daughter turned to face them

“Mum!” Violet bawled “Do you, or do you not hear what this git is doing?”

“Language, Vi-” James cautioned, though no one paid him the slightest bit of attention.

“All we did was send Ron a few harmless letters, and he’s gone completely barmy,” Iris pitched in, the perfect face of innocence as she shook her unruly black curls from her face and twitched her nose to readjust her glasses.

“A few harmless letters?” Harry said hotly through the door “He’s been threatening to jinx via Pig since half three this morning!”

“See, didn’t I tell Sirius giving that boy his own owl would lead to nothing but trouble?” Lily said offhandedly over her shoulder to her husband, who merely shrugged.

“It was either that, or continue to find Errol passed out in the backyard.”

“That might’ve been a happier alternative,” Lily mused, before their attention was directed back to their feuding children.

“Well it’s your fault in the first place, you prat, for flirting with his sister.” Violet thumped the door once again “We just informed him of it.”

“It’s not nice to keep secrets from your best friend,” Iris chipped in.

Harry’s rely came in the form of the unmistakable sound of plastic hitting water, followed by a purposeful flush, which caused the girls to begin their assault on the door anew.”

A shared look between Lily and James reached a common conclusion.

It was time to intervene.

“Blimey, girls-” James chided loudly, yanking them both back from the door by their shoulders “What did the poor door ever do to you?”

“It’s concealing that, that fiend. That _thief_ ,” Violet said savagely, pointing at the door wildly.

“Funny that-“ Harry responded sharply, and Lily could practically see his indignant expression through the door “Seeing as we’re talking about thieves, how’d you both like to tell Mum and Dad about your _snooping around in my bedroom_?”

“Shut up Harry,” both girls spat simultaneously, eyes narrowed at the door.

“Alright,” Lily said sternly “I’ve heard enough for one morning, thank you very much. So you’re all going to calm down-”

“Calm down? _Calm down_?” Harry interjected from behind the door “My best mate’s more than likely plotting my murder and you’re asking me to calm down? Mum!”

“You’re being overdramatic, Harry.” James rolled his eyes, catching his wife’s eye with a grin.

“Pot calling the cauldron black,” Lily muttered mischievously, before raising her voice once again “If you’re going to insist on acting like a child, I’ll treat you like one Harry.” 

”Mother I am most certainly _not_ acting like a -“ 

“I’m going to give you ten seconds to unlock the door yourself, otherwise we’ll unlock it for you.”

A mutinous grumble sounded, before Lily began her countdown.

“Ten,” she said steadily. “Nine, eight, seven.”

“He’s not going to listen,” David informed them, shaking his head.

“Six, five.”

“He’d better, unless he wants my foot implanted up his a-”

“Violet, language,” James said, almost wearily.

“Four, three.” Lily left a slight pause, before continuing with new vigour “ _Two_.”

To be honest, she wasn’t completely confident in the amount of sway she still had over Harry’s actions, and being more than aware that he was the product of two incredibly stubborn people, Lily began to consider that her son wasn’t going to give in. However, just as she began sucking in a breath to deliver the death sentence of the final number, while simultaneously feeling for her wand in the waistband of her pyjamas, the door slowly unlocked and creaked open, revealing a grim-faced Harry.

“Give it to me you absolute _plonker_!” Violet demanded, darting forward to snatch the pink bag from his hands. She immediately began rifling through it, her expression flipping from enraged to positively murderous.

“He actually did it, he actually flushed it!” she shrieked “Half of it’s gone,” she said, horror evident in her tone.

”Half of it isn’t gone, you twat – it was only two or three of those tube things –“

” _Dad_ he flushed my stuff!” Violet positively wailed.

“I wasn’t bluffing.” He shrugged, before Violet launched herself at him, raising the bag above her head.

“Stop it! Stop it, both of you,” James said loudly, puling them both away from each other “It’s too early in the morning for you two to decide to turn into wild bloody animals.”

“She started it,” Harry mumbled, throwing his sister a shifty glance out of the corner of his eye.

“I don’t care who started it, you’re both in serious trouble,” Lily stressed, before pointing her finger at a smirking Iris “You too, young lady. Are we ever going to get just one day when you three get along, and no one ends up-”

“Someone’s at the door,” Daisy piped up, tugging at her father’s sleeve to gain his attention. In the momentary silence that descended over the hall, they could indeed hear a light rapping sound.

“It’s Ron, come to kill you,” Iris smirked cheerfully, earning herself a shove in the chest, courtesy of her older brother, who had gone an acute shade of green.

“Only me!” Sirius Black’s voice floated up from the hallway below.

”Since when does Sirius knock-“ David’s nose scrunched in confusion.

“Sirius?” James shouted, his face mirroring his son’s in a manner which caused Lily to smile “It’s half seven in the morning, mate.”

“And?” come the reply, quickly followed by “I’m just going to help myself to breakfast, alright?”

”And what’s wrong with your own food your pr-“

”Language, Dad.” Violet smirked.

”I wouldn’t if I were you – thin ice,” he quipped back.

”Just – all of you just go downstairs and get started to breakfast, alright? _Without_ trying to kill each other. We’ll sort this out later-“ Lily sighed, rubbing her head wearily.

Knowing an escape when they saw it, the landing quickly vacated as they collectively vaulted for the stairs, before Harry doubled back at the last minute.

”Morning Mum.” Harry grinned, kissing his mother’s cheek, before grabbing Evan around the waist, and thundering down in the wake of his siblings.

A soft smile appeared on Lily’s face, and she shook her head before turning to look at James.

”He’s not getting away with it, is he?”

”Absolutely not.”

James laughed, as the sound of scraping chairs and clattering dishes reached them from downstairs.

“Can they do anything without making an excessive amount of noise?” James asked, his tone mystified.

“Least you know they’re yours.” Sirius shouted through a mouthful of cereal, grinning up at them from the bottom of the stairs.

”Can I _really_ be sure though?” He shot Lily a cheeky grin.

“That joke wasn’t funny the first time you told it, and it’s still now funny now, James Potter.” She smacked his chest.

“Never said it was.” He smirked, leaning down to peck her on the lips. “Now c’mon, before they break-“

”MUM! IRIS DROPPED A BOWL!”

“Too late.” Lily rolled her eyes, before taking his hand with a grin, and dragging him down the stairs.

There was something to be said for chaos, after all, and its ability to make life feel rather perfect.


End file.
